Eoff follows up with citizen’s concern
I’m pleased to say that after writing a letter to the editor about our council members Karen Eoff and Tim Richards regarding my concerns about reporting their vacation rental income, Karen Eoff called me.
As an 18-year veteran of vacation rental ownership, I’m well acquainted with the responsibilities of reporting GE and TA taxes. The article in WHT last week talked about Karen Eoff and Tim Richards being reviewed by the Board of Ethics due to their own vacation rental ownership, whether there was a conflict of interest due to their own vacation rental properties, and if they could participate in the vote for Bill 108 regarding unhosted vacation rentals in residential areas.
The WHT article mentioned that both Tim and Karen had amended their financial disclosures for 2018 reporting their rental income. Karen explained to me that as representatives for the county, they must complete disclosures regarding their income and businesses, that she had failed to fill in some of the categories correctly, not that she had failed to disclose the income itself. She assured me that both she and Tim (after calling him) report and remit their GE and TA taxes accordingly.
This was absolutely what a representative of the people should have done! Karen and I chatted about taxes, as well as Bill 108, which affects many of us now in residential areas that include unhosted vacation rentals. Not only were my assumptions quashed, I had a terrific opportunity to have my voice heard and get to know someone that is, in fact, fighting the good fight for all of us that live here on the Big Island!
Thank you, Karen, for calling, caring, and making this clarification, it was appreciated.
Penny Niederer
Kailua-Kona